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Preview: Getafe vs. Barcelona

Sports Mole previews Barcelona's trip to face out-of-form Getafe in La Liga this weekend.

Barcelona will be looking to keep the pressure on leaders Real Madrid this weekend as the La Liga title race continues to heat up.

It was only a month ago when manager Luis Enrique's position at the club came under real pressure following back-to-back defeats against Madrid and former club Celta Vigo. Since then, however, the Catalan giants have won their last eight matches to remain in contention on all fronts.

Last night's 3-1 victory over Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League ensured that top spot was secured in Group F, thus setting up a meeting with one of the competition's second-placed sides in the last 16, while things are also looking smooth domestically, too.

The omens are good for second-placed Barca heading into Saturday's visit to the Spanish capital, where they take on a Getafe side with just two wins from the last 20 meetings in this fixture.

Cosmin Contra's charges are firmly sat in mid-table at the moment, although if the Azulones can find their shooting boots a push up the table could be on the cards.

Only one side - Granada - have found the net on fewer occasions than Getafe this term, and that task will not be any easier against a Barcelona side boasting the division's best defensive record.

That said, having kept eight successive clean sheets at the start of the season, Enrique's men have managed just one shutout in their last eight in the top flight.

The good news for Barcelona is that their South American forward trio are fit and firing, with Luis Suarez, Neymar and Lionel Messi each finding the net against PSG. In fact, Messi has returned to something close to his best form, scoring three hat-tricks in his last five outings for the club.

Elsewhere, Claudio Bravo and Jordi Alba are likely to return to the starting lineup, while the visitors, who have won just once in their last six league outings, are expected to start with Angel Lafita in attack.

Getafe:

Form in La Liga: LWDLLD
Form in all competitions: WDLLWD

Possible starting lineup: Guaita, Valera, Naldo, Velaquez, Escudero, Rodriguez, Lacen, Yoda, Michel, Hinestroza, Lafita

Barcelona:

Form in La Liga: LLWWWW
Form in all competitions: WWWWWW

Possible starting lineup: Bravo, Alves, Pique, Mascherano, Alba, Xavi, Busquets, Rakitic, Neymar, Suarez, Messi

Sports Mole says: 0-3


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Luis Enrique Martinez faces the media during his official presentation as the new coach of FC Barcelona at Camp Nou on May 21, 2014
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Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Barcelona12110140112933
2Real Madrid1173121111024
3Atletico MadridAtletico126511871123
4Villarreal116322019121
5Osasuna126331716121
6Athletic Bilbao125431812619
7Real BetisBetis125431210219
8Mallorca12534109118
9Rayo Vallecano114431210216
10Celta Vigo125161820-216
11Real Sociedad124351010015
12GironaGirona124351517-215
13Sevilla124351217-515
14AlavesAlaves124171419-513
15Leganes122551216-411
16Getafe12174810-210
17Espanyol123181122-1110
18Las PalmasLas Palmas122371321-89
19Real ValladolidValladolid12228924-158
20Valencia11146817-97


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